Rowena

It took them a month to reach Gulltown, what with the seas and ports still being patrolled after the last failed Blackfyre invasion. In that time Rowena spent it aboard her husband's ship the Dragon of the Seas, with her children- Rhaenys now turning into a beautiful maiden at the age of thirteen, her second son Baelor now aged eight and her newborn babe Aelinor aged five months. Maelor had stayed behind in King's Landing, not because he did not wish to come visit his cousins in the Vale, but because as heir to the Iron Throne, Brynden had argued that it was crucial that he stay in King's Landing and learn a few things about ruling.

Rhaenys was already a strong and independent minded girl, who much to her septa's apparent dismay, preferred getting herself muddy and dirty rather than spend it sitting around sewing, Rowena did not particularly mind this about her daughter, as it strongly reminded her of what she and her sister had been like before all that had happened at Oakenfist had occurred. Baelor, her special boy was a quiet lad, preferring to spend more time with Rowena than socialising with the other children aboard the various vessels that were accompanying them to Gulltown. Aelinor, her little girl was barely five moons old and yet Rowena was convinced that she would be the exact same as her father- strong willed, confident and kind all at the same time-.

At Gulltown they were greeted by Rowena's uncle Ser Gwayne Grafton- a big broad shouldered man of forty who was a renowned warrior- her uncle smiled at her and engulfed her in a big bear hug once she had gotten off the ship. "Rowena, it has been too long my child!"Her uncle said completely ignoring the disapproving look sent his way by Ser Desmond Gargalen, captain of the guards in King's Landing.

"It is nice to see you again as well Uncle." Rowena replied smiling up at him.

"Are you not going to introduce me to your children then niece?" Her uncle asked, a hint of laughter showing in his tone.

"Of course forgive me," Rowena answered. She beckoned her children forward, and of course Rhaenys came forth first with her head held high and her shoulders squared, a gesture so reminiscent of Brynden that Rowena briefly felt a pang of homesickness. "This uncle is my eldest child Rhaenys, "her uncle bowed his head and kissed Rhaenys' hand causing the girl to giggle. "This young lad is my son Baelor," Baelor peeked his head round Rowena's skirts nodded once at his great uncle then hid behind Rowena once more. "And this," Rowena said taking Aelinor from her nursemaid "Is my youngest child Aelinor."

Rowena saw her uncle smile at all of her children, "They all look like handsome and pretty and strong niece. Come walk with me, we have much and more to talk about."

And so Rowena and her children walked with her uncle Ser Gwayne from the docks to the carriage that was waiting for them, as Ser Gwayne helped her into the carriage he pulled her close to him and whispered into her ear. "Your father's death has hit the Vale very hard child, be prepared to see a much different setting in the Eyrie than when you left it."

Rowena nodded and then closed the door behind her and watched as her uncle mounted his horse, and they began the long journey to the Eyrie, all the while she spoke to her children of their grandmother and their uncles and aunt, and of their cousins. Rhaenys seemed to be the most fascinated out her and Baelor about the stories of their family in the Vale, Baelor it seemed was much more interested in the scenery that they passed as they made their ascent to Rowena's childhood home. Rhaenys kept asking questions about the family that made Rowena smile with how much her daughter seemed to be like a younger version of herself and of Alys.

After a two week trek up the mountains, they arrived at the Eyrie. And Rowena felt her heart fluttering in her chest with excitement, she had not been back to her childhood home since she had gotten married all those years ago, and now here she was back again. As her uncle dismounted from his horse and helped her and her children out of the carriage, Rowena saw her mother standing proudly next to her brother Jon, who had grown so much since she had last seen him all those years ago, a young man now at the age of sixteen. Ronnel her baby brother who hadn't even been born when she had gotten married stood there next to her mother and Jon a shy look of curiosity on his face.

Rowena moved forward to greet her family, with Rhaenys boldly walking beside her, Aelinor in nursemaids arms and Baelor trailing behind her, his hands clutching tightly to her skirts. She stopped in front of her brother, and after Jon had bent down onto one knee, kissing her outstretched hand Rowena had laughed playfully then and had said "Oh do get up Jon, it is too cold for us to be out here for too long."

Her brother looked up at her and smiled. "Of course Your Grace."

And with that the household of the Eyrie got up and introductions were made by Rowena of her children to their grandmother and uncles. After those had been made Rowena walked arm in arm with her brother into the castle, and whispered to him "Could Alys not make it Jon?"

A strange look passed over her brother's face at the mention of their sister, but it quickly disappeared when he turned to look at her. "Alys is too busy with her own things to come up to the Eyrie most of the time. However, she did say she would try and make it up for atleast a visit now that you are here Your Grace."

Jon would say no more on their sister after that, and so Rowena let it drop and simply spent the next few days enjoying spending time with her family away from the pressures of King's Landing. She was glad to see that the people of the Eyrie had greatly taken to her children; Rhaenys seemed to have charmed them all with her bold spirit and constant question asking. Baelor seemed to have come out of his shell thanks to Ronnel and Rowena had often seen the two boys sparring with wooden swords in the practice yard, and Aelinor seemed to be constantly in the arms of Rowena's mother.

During the course of her stay in the Vale Rowena watched her brother as he held court with the various lords and knights and smallfolk of the Vale, and what she saw impressed her deeply. Jon, seemed to have learnt a lot from their father, if the way he spoke and acted during court was any indication, no problem or grievance was too small or great for him to listen to, and he would always try and do his best to ensure that those who brought the grievance to him and those responsible for the grievance received a fair and reasonable judgement. He truly did seem to take their house words 'As High as Honour' very, very seriously and Rowena could not but help feeling proud of her brother.

There was just one area where Jon seemed to falter in his dedication to the people of the Vale. At the age of sixteen her brother was still unmarried, or at the very least he was not even betrothed. Now whilst he had an heir in their younger brother Ronnel, Rowena was surprised that he seemed not even in the least bothered about finding a wife. When she had brought this up with her mother, her mother had simply said. "Oh, well Jon has much on his plate. He cannot afford to spend time looking for a bride, not with you and the children here, and not with your father's death so recent in memory" Rowena could not understand that, surely with father's death the importance of Jon being married and trying to produce an heir was of the most importance, as father's death most surely reflected the mortality of humans.

Two moons into her stay at the Eyrie and her sister Alys finally made a trip to visit them. With her came her lord husband Elys, their four daughters- Lysa, Minisa, Catelyn and Jeyne- Rowena remembered her sister as being full of life, and with a smile always on her face. The woman, who greeted her on the brisk spring day, did not remind Rowena of her sister, her face seemed haggard, her eyes no longer seemed to be full of life and her smile was strained when she greeted Rowena and the rest of the family. Rowena knew that her sister's marriage to Lord Elys had been a quick and hastily arranged affair, after Alys had tearfully confided to her about what she had done with Loras, Rowena had hastened to tell Alys that she tell their father, Lord Jasper had been understanding of what had happened though he had still sent Loras away from the Eyrie and as such Rowena was never sure what exactly had transpired that had led Alys marrying a man who was much older than her and perhaps beneath her.

There seemed to be a lot of underlying tension during her sister's stay at the Eyrie, there were many thinly veiled comments aimed by her sister at their mother and even at Jon himself, many things were said that flew over Rowena's head, as she had not been present for the last few years of her father's life she did not understand some of the references and comments that Alys made about him. Eventually the tension came to a head after the farewell feast held for Alys and her family. Much wine had been consumed over the evening, and the barbed comments had flown freely between Alys and their mother, with Rowena and Jon having to play the moderators and make sure that the conversation did not become to loud nor too offensive. After Rowena had put Rhaenys, Baelor and Aelinor to bed with her brother Ronnel's help, and then had put Ronnel to bed, she went to find her brother to speak with him about something their uncle had said, when she heard loud voices coming from her mother's room, curious as to what the matter could be Rowena walked toward her mother's room but stopped dead in her tracks when she heard her sister's voice.

"You don't understand mother, you never understand. You and father both!" Her sister exclaimed!

"What is there to understand Alys? You are unhappy in your marriage yes that is all well and good, but you cannot carry on with that Loras boy. It shames you and your husband and the family name!" Rowena heard her mother reply in a voice that suggested that this was an old conversation."

"The family name? What has the family ever done for me? What did father ever do for me, except sell me off to the highest bidder who would be willing to take me?" Rowena heard her sister say angrily.

"Yes the family name Alys. The family has done much for you, it is because of the name and your looks that your father was able to seal the deal with Lord Elys and get him to marry you, otherwise you would have been stuck here in the Eyrie without any potential for marriage."Rowena's mother replied tiredly.

"Humph, of course," Alys shouted. "So whilst I am the shame and the burden on the family, Rowena was and always has been the pride and joy of both you and father. Why did you not just have me killed as a babe, why keep me alive so that I could shame you?" Rowena could hear the tears in her sister's voice, and the urge to go into the room and comfort her sister was strong, yet she remained rooted to the spot.

"Alys..." their mother began.

"No, I will not be swayed by your lies anymore mother. Loras was right." Alys replied angrily before she stormed out of the room, Rowena hid behind one of the pillars so that she could not be seen by either her mother or sister. She stood where she was for a long, long time deeply shocked by what she had heard.

Two moons later, Rowena and her children left the Eyrie, for Gulltown and then hopefully for home. Since that conversation she had overheard between her mother and her sister, Rowena was beginning to put into place certain things that had been going on roughly around the time she had been getting ready for her own marriage. Her father's short temper, her mother's constant panicking, Alys's tears and then sudden disappearance into married life. Something had been going on in the Eyrie for a long time, perhaps in the Vale as well and she had been to preoccupied to think about it. Such thoughts had been pushed from her mind for a time though what with her brother's betrothal to Jeyne Royce of Runestone. Jeyne seemed to be a nice girl who seemed to be deeply infatuated with Rowena's brother, so she hoped and prayed that they could have a happy marriage.

At Gulltown Rowena and her children were originally not meant to spend longer than a few days in order to allow the ships to get ready for departure, however the minute they arrived in Gulltown and found themselves greeted by Lord Marcus Grafton, her uncle and saw her other uncle Ser Gwayne who had come with them to the Eyrie tense, Rowena sensed that something was wrong.

"Your Grace, it is a pleasure to see you. I do hope you don't mind me coming here to greet you and request you spend sometime with us before departing for King's Landing."Her uncle said.

Her Uncle Ser Gwayne eyes narrowed and he replied sharply. "They don't have time for any of your theatrics Marcus, Her Grace and the children are due to leave tomorrow, they can't spend time faffing around the castle waiting on your every whim and pleasure."

Lord Marcus simply laughed. "Ah brother, so nice to see you haven't changed since we last met. But alas this is one request that Her Grace must not refuse, not if she wants to hear of events from King's Landing."

Rowena felt herself tense and she asked rather nervously. "What has happened in King's Landing uncle?"

Her uncle turned his attention toward her and smiled rather menacingly, so that she was pushing Rhaenys and Baelor behind her. "Your husband's uncle Prince Maekar has died from illness. His Grace the king has fallen ill as well. He is close to death."

Rowena felt her insides tighten at that. "How, how do you know this uncle?" Rowena asked hating how small and tiny her voice sounded.

Her uncle Marcus did not respond he merely nodded and then Rowena heard several swords being drawn at once, and before she knew what was happening a sword was pointing at her throat as well as at her children's throats. Her uncle Ser Gwayne lay dead on the ground his throat slit. "Because the rightful king has made it so niece. Take her to the castle, Ser Loras will be happy to see her."